The activities of the Schools throughout Australia continue to nurture the growth of the community both at an individual and collective level. I am frequently inspired by the commitment of team leaders to provide an informative, insightful, contemplative space for participants and am always moved by the participants open, generous sharing and joy in discovery.

All the States have reported on their School associated activities within the State reports so I shall simply provide a national summary of these activities and detail some other activities being undertaken under the aegis of the School throughout the WCCM.

2004 also saw the holding of the first School Retreat in Australia at Varroville, NSW. It has been reported on elsewhere in the Newsletter and on the website. This was led by Fr Laurence and Pauline Peters and was very successful. A proposal has been put forward that a second School Retreat be held in Australia in 2006.

A page has been added to the Australian website – www.christianmeditationaustralia.org which identifies speakers (including short bios and photos where forwarded) who are available to give talks on Christian Meditation in the different States. This is not intended as a definitive list but as a first point of contact. All who are identified have experience in giving talks to interested groups/parishes.

I was invited to give a School on the Waitangi Day weekend last year, in Auckland NZ. That was a very good experience and weekend. Having the additional time meant that participants had slightly more time in the schedule and also more time to travel there and back without impinging on work time. The quality and experience of the participants in the meditative path was very high.

International Activities

I was unable to attend the International Resources Group meeting held in 2004 in Vermont prior to the John Main Seminar. However the following are some of the activities of the School worldwide.

Between August and December 2004 (apart from activities in Australia)

· Two 5 week Introductory programmes in Singapore
· Essential Teaching Workshops held in Belgium – for European Coordinators - and the UK.
· Three Seminar Schools in Canada, Belgium and the US
· One School Retreat in the UK.
· A day for new group leaders in Quebec, Canada.

Meditation with the Young

The series of books by Barbara O’Halloran ‘Like a Child’ were published with a recommendation letter of the Archbishop Wilson of Adelaide.

The Catholic Education Office through Ernie Christie (Director) in Townsville, Qld in 2005 will be trialling the work programs with 10 teachers across grades 1 to 10. These teachers will receive in service training and constant support. Bishop Michael Putney has been very supportive and intends to launch the whole project across the Diocese in 2006 with Fr Laurence doing work with all his teachers during that year. He hopes to have the program running in over 30 schools midway through 2006.

A Symposium on teaching meditation to the young will be planned for 2006 in Australia to bring together all the work done.

In the meanwhile guidelines and a list of recommended resources are being sent out to all people in the Community working with children. There is an e-mail group of meditators involved with teaching at this level.

Meditation Support Groups

This new School initiative has found a firm place on the London Centre programme. Once a month a Meditation Support Group is held there – so far the only group in our World Community. Plans to run a similar group in the North of England are under discussion.

Participants find this meeting very useful – many come who cannot attend a regular group. Some meditate by themselves, but also use the website.

Special Schools Events

A new development is special School events - in the common language English - organised for European Coordinators and meditators they work with closely. This and the European meetings encouraged and organised by Agnes d’Hooghe Dumon have resulted in a real European Community feeling. Apart from The Essential Teaching Workshop already held, a School Seminar and School Retreat are also already planned.

Roots of Christian Mysticism Course

A Roots of CMC course has been organised by Nicole Meister to start in Houston, Texas on 10th September 2005. It will have a different format from its ‘parent’ in London in that it will be spread over three years instead of one, as there will be only 9 monthly meeting a year rather than 32 weekly meetings. As far as contents and publicity leaflet are concerned, however, it follows the original pattern, making it recognisably the course of the World Community.

Roots of CMC II started successfully again at the London Centre on September 14th 2004. It attracted 34 participants.
Roots of CMC III is in the process of being planned to start again in September 2005.

Boxed set of tapes of the best Roots of CMC talks over the last two years will be made available by Medio Media in 2005. Transcripts of all the tapes are continually being produced. Apart from summaries and reading lists appearing on the School Website, there is also now a special e-mail list of about 9 participants world-wide.

Activities in 2005

2005 Essential Teaching Workshop Weekend 6 Week Introductory Course
NSW x1 – Re-connection date 29th May.x 1 - 12-14th August Led by Judi, Penny & Graeme EllisMt St Benedict’s, Sydney.
QLD X1 – September 2 - 4, 2005, Presentation Retreat Centre Manly Qld. Led by Johanna Lawrence, Kath Houston & Marlyn Chester
Vic x 1 – May/June Led by Ruth Fowler & Deborah Guess 1 to be held in Term 4 as part of the School for Prayer established by the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne.
Tas - -
SA 1 – 3rd JulyLed by Ruth Fowler and Barbara O’Halloran
WA x 2 Part One May 14th and Part Two on June 11th.The second School will be Part One on 24th September and Part Two on 22nd October. x

Overseas the following activities have been, or are planned for 2005:

· One Essential Teaching Workshop in the US held since January 2005.
· Two Seminar Schools in the UK and US held since January 2005.
· Four Essential Teaching Workshops will be held in the US (Gene Bebeau has recently taken over the National School Coordination and is planning for one Essential Teaching Workshop a month whenever possible).
· Four Essential Teaching Workshops will be held in France, Italy (in their respective languages), New Zealand (Christchurch – which I will lead assisted by Ross Millar) and the UK respectively.
· Four Seminar Schools will be held, three in the US and one in Canada.

I will be attending the International Resources Group meeting in Thousand Oaks California in August 2005, along with Deborah Guess (Vic) and Barbara O’Halloran. Following that I will ensure that information arising from that meeting is provided to State School Coordinators.

No work on the School this year would be complete without reference to the passing of Eileen O’Hea into the Mystery of Light and the enormous debt which the School structure, material and insight owes to her. I know that as she guided the formation of the School in all its phases back then, she will be truly with us all now as we hold our School activities throughout the WCCM. Let us then continue to invoke Eileen’s wisdom and assistance as we carry out this work of service for God.

Those whom death has taken do not leave us. They remain! Where are they ? In darkness ? Oh, no! It is we who are in darkness. We do not see them, but they see us. Their eyes, radiant with glory, are fixed upon our eyes full of tears. ..... Karl Rahner SJ.

Ruth Fowler
Melbourne April 2005.